Hyperion
by adriata
Summary: She decided not to join a guild right after she ran away. Before making such an important decision, she needed to train. What she discovers about herself may change the entire future of Fiore, if Fairy Tail has anything to do with it.
1. Chapter 1

Duke Everlue had decided it was time he find a wife.

Many fortunate confluences of fate had led him to come to this conclusion. He was firmly settled within his business and politics; Shirotsume Town was meekly under his control, and his politician friends were happily ensconced in all available offices. His home was finely appointed with all modern amenities a man of his means could desire, supplanted by magical spells and artifacts that were both helpful and occasionally illegal—not that this bothered him. He was a man that sought only the best, evidenced by his lovely collection of books and his villainous ways of acquiring new collectibles. Duke Everlue, rotund and typically belabored by moist perspiration brought on by flustered exertions, was above all things, a collector. He enjoyed nothing more than collecting the finest things the continent had to offer. And so, he had set his beady eye on the next acquisition: Lucy Heartfilia.

A finer wife could not be found; he had decided upon meeting the girl. She had been merely sixteen at the time, fresh and blooming with beauty and vigor. Lucy evinced delicate manners, refined tastes, a discerning palate and, excitingly, inviolable and enviable connections to the greatest merchant empire he had yet to see: Heartfilia Enterprises. The girl's father was a veritable genius, rising through his business associates to shine like a star. Jude Heartfilia had easily swept the market with one hand while delving his other hand into politics, an ambitious leaning Everlue greatly admired. The daughter of Jude Heartfilia would be the perfect match for Duke Everlue in terms of future endeavors. Allied with the Heartfilias, Duke Everlue would ascend even higher, perhaps onto the throne itself one day. He sweat with excitement.

Augmenting the girl's potential due to her father was her physical looks. The Duke's watery eyes had not missed noting the delicate structure of her finely boned cheeks and pert nose, nor the luminous sheen of her honey eyes with a curved sweep of thick lashes. The pink petals of her lips contrasted with the richness of her thick blonde hair, cascading in a silken fall around thin shoulders, until the ends brushed the bottom of her generous breasts. Duke Everlue began to mop at his forehead as he thought of her body as he remembered it from the night he had first met the girl: encased in a formal pink dress, accentuated at the neckline by scalloped white lace. Her slim arms had been politely ticked at her lower back, bringing her trim waist into focus. The Duke dabbed hurriedly at his chin before a droplet of sweat could mar his crisp linen jacket.

Yes, Lucy Heartfilia was the most suitable choice for the position of Duchess Everlue.

Duke Everlue reminded himself of these things, steeling his convictions and imagining the bright future in which he would eventually control Heartfilia Enterprises as well as all of Fiore, while he also had the pleasure of heaving his impressive mass over such a petite beauty as Lucy Heartfilia and doing what he willed. As he waited outside of Jude Heartfilia's stately home office, he enumerated these things over and over again, even as nerves dampened his neck.

Finally, a servant admitted him into Jude Heartfilia's office, where the man himself stood solidly with his back to the door. Jude Heartfilia's shoulders were tense beneath a midnight suit, his hands clasped tightly behind his back as he surveyed the expansive Konzern lands splayed outside his windows.

"Mr. Heartfilia, I have come to request the hand of your daughter in marriage," Duke Everlue blurted before his nerves could overtake him. He had awaited this moment for months, carefully cultivating how he would approach the man before him in a way that could only bring success.

Jude Heartfilia did not even turn around to look at the rapidly dampening noble behind him. "She ran away several months ago," he answered instead.

The Duke stared in disbelief. Lucy, gone?

"As soon as I retrieve her, she is to be married to the prince of a nearby kingdom. While your offer is expected and appreciated, I decline on her behalf."

The Duke, now a sodden mess of anxiety and once-crisp linen, was gently escorted from the office as his mouth worked to form a rebuttal. Jude Heartfilia heard the door close softly behind the simpering noble and the servant. He turned to his desk and once more picked up the final offer of Phantom Lord's mission details. With an authoritative scribble, he signed the contract, the paper gleaming brightly before disappearing to the office of the Phantom Lord master.

Jude looked at his desk. The edge of a different missive caught his attention, leading him to free it from its wax seal. He read it quickly, the edge of his mouth curling slightly. Why not? A competition would surely spur a much faster mission. He signed this contract as well, agreeing to pay a different guild for the safe retrieval of his daughter. Whichever guild succeeded would receive payment. He nearly smirked, but kept himself contained. Weren't Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail rival guilds? Either way, his objective would be achieved. He looked back out the window to where wizards under his employ were casting wards over the property to prevent any other escapes his daughter might attempt once she was returned.

Soon. One way or another, he would have his wayward daughter back within his control, soon.


	2. Chapter 2

"Jude Heartfilia received our acceptance of the request," the wizard told his companion.

"Shouldn't be a challenge," another wizard said, grinning. "Fetch a blondie, get paid, huh?"

"Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye?" a third wizard said, peering at the dossier provided by their new employer.

The first wizard looked over at the packet. "Her father claims the only magic she knows is weak, as most magic is compared to the great-"

A fourth wizard stood, halting conversation. "Let's go," he said gruffly. "I want to get this over with."

The other wizards readied themselves in an instant, used to going on last-minute missions. They were in high demand due to how they completed jobs quickly and efficiently. The third wizard, a woman with rectangular glasses, halted all movement with a quiet gasp.

"What?" questioned the fourth wizard, annoyed.

"It's a _competition_ ," she seethed, insulted. "He also hired a wizard from Phantom Lord! Whoever returns her first gets paid."

Surprising the others, the fourth wizard laughed, deeply amused. "Finally, something interesting," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy Heartfilia did not care for all that, she decided, watching as a dark haired mage crooked a finger in her direction. She swiftly turned on her heel and entered the largest magic store in Hargeon, mentally tallying the funds she had stolen from the manor before her rapid departure several months earlier. She had taken enough Jewels to keep herself afloat for quite a long time, a dip in the pot that would likely be noticed immediately by her undoubtedly enraged father. Still, she was careful to note each expense, choosing the cheapest inns and fares so the money would stretch far longer, until she could find work as a wizard. However, before she could find work, she had a clear goal: get stronger.

Lucy's mother had always told her daughter that she had the potential to become a very powerful wizard, despite the apparent weakness of celestial summoning magic. To honor her mother's memory, and prove herself capable and independent, Lucy intended to train her body and her magic until she was a force to be reckoned with. She had spent long enough as a pretty bauble to be bought and sold; her new incarnation as truant and runaway would give birth to the next version of herself, the powerful Lucy. Her spirits were all on board with her decision, offering support and advice for how to proceed. Even Aquarius had seemed less judgmental when she had expressed consternation and pride. The water spirit didn't understand why Lucy hadn't run away to train years earlier, but she was reluctantly proud of her master for finally seeking out her dreams.

Lucy wandered through the magic store, spending an hour selecting a new, sturdier belt that boasted charms to make it more durable and magically size-altering. It was an expensive purchase, but the leather of her current belt was frayed and weak. The last thing she needed was for it to break and send her keys scattering in all different directions, especially during a fight.

Thankfully, the store had a large selection of magically outfitted clothing. It was the first magic store she had been in with such a huge selection, making her glad she had waited to purchase training gear. Lucy methodically tried on and rejected different outfits before finally settling on one that suited her needs. It was some of the most expensive items she had tried on, but she needed clothing that was strong and flexible enough for training and fighting. And, despite the utility of the cheaper items, she also wanted something that was cute.

Flipping through Sorcery Weekly, she had noticed that each powerful mage featured in the magazine had a certain look. How they dressed was as much a part of their image as their power. If Lucy wanted to become a powerful wizard, she needed to carefully cultivate her image. The first step: a cute outfit. For now, however, she just needed something good to train in. Which was a relief, since she had no idea how she wanted her image to look; once she decided on something and began taking jobs and becoming more well known, it would be very difficult to change. She needed to decide carefully.

After carefully picking through all of the racks of clothing, Lucy selected a black leather vest that zipped up the front, armored along the neckline with dark studs. The vest ended at midriff, right above her belly button. Hanging low around her hips were black leather combat pants that cut off at mid-shin. Black, ankle high boots stood firmly on metal-toed grooved soles. She threw a long white jacket, the hood trimmed in thick fur, over herself, trying to alleviate the dark image of the leather combat gear. She looked determined, almost… lethal. _And damn good_ , she decided to herself. Determined, lethal, and damned good were her only criteria. She stripped quickly and placed her chosen clothes over one arm before turning her mind to her main objective.

Approaching the front desk, staffed by an old man that genially cleaned a glass case, Lucy smiled. "Hello, sir," she greeted politely, "I was wondering if you have any celestial spirit keys?"

The man smiled back at her and pointed to the bottom, velvet lined shelf of the glass case. Lucy kneeled to inspect the store's merchandise, hand casually brushing the keys hooked on her belt. _What do you think?_ She mentally questioned. While training by herself the last few months, Lucy had discovered that when in physical contact with a key, she could hear the spirit's voice in her mind. Had she not discovered that utility, the loneliness she felt would be a lot keener. Thankfully, she could talk to her spirits mentally, without expending any magic power and draining herself.

 _A gold key! That's Pisces, bebe,_ Cancer exclaimed.

 _The fish,_ Aquarius scoffed as Lucy's fingers brushed over her key. _Useful enough, I guess. The silver keys there are Nikora, a minor constellation, and Vulpecula. Do you need anything else or can I go back to doing something useful or enjoyable?_

Lucy rolled her eyes at her strongest spirit and stood. "I'll take them all," she told the shopkeeper, quickly making her purchases before leaving to return to her inn. Earlier in her journeys, she had bought the Libra zodiac key, adding to her collection inherited from her mother. Mentally tallying how many more keys she needed to complete her set, she walked outside the shop and then stared in astonishment. She had spent maybe two hours in the shop, at most, and the harbor was on fire.

A giant cruise liner sunk beneath the water, and women cried happily along the pier. A boy with pink hair belched fire loudly. Lucy scrunched her nose and walked to her inn. While the boy was clearly a wizard, she had no interest in meeting anyone until she had a firmer grip on her magic. She wanted to impress other wizards, not be seen as some useless, pretty girl with useless, pretty keys.

Lucy clenched her firsts and entered her rented room, throwing her shopping bag on the bed. She _would_ become strong and powerful! There was no other option but success.

She showered and got ready for the night, slipping into soft pajamas with a large _H_ monogrammed on the pocket. A remnant from her past. She picked at the stitching, wondering what her father was thinking at that moment. Did he care?

Yes, she decided, letting her hands fall onto the bathroom counter. He had just signed her away to that foreign prince of a small country to the north. He would want her back as soon as possible, just to ship her away.

Turning her thoughts from what would undoubtedly upset her, Lucy hardened herself. _Don't think about Dad,_ she admonished. _Focus on getting stronger. Worrying can come later._ Growing up in the Konzern had made her good at compartmentalizing her emotions. When her father had turned her away again and again, she had learned to box her sadness and shelve it for later. Soon, her shelves were cluttered with boxes that she either rarely or never opened.

Amber eyes blinked tiredly. Tomorrow she would leave Hargeon and travel deep into the forest where she planned to spend a good, long time training with the spirits she already had. Then, she would begin her journey to collect the rest of the zodiac keys, completing her set. She already had Aquarius, Cancer, Taurus, Pisces, and Libra. She needed the other seven to truly achieve her goal of fulfilling her mother's prediction. She would not stop training and searching, not until her power reached a ceiling and all twelve keys were in her possession. Her determination remembered, Lucy breathed deeply, stretching the taut muscles of her stomach.

Over the last three months she had trained her body each morning, doing a series of exercises meant to tone and strengthen her muscles. Her body was lithe and strong, the best shape she had ever been in in her life. The next big step was continuing to train herself physically while also adding more magic into the mix. She had been slowly practicing with her magic, summoning spirits and closing gates until she could do it as quickly as lightning. She could now summon her spirits by just brushing her fingers over the right key and calling out mentally. But those exercises required very little magic, although it had taken intense discipline to get to that point. She felt that it was time to begin growing her magic, rather than simply refining it as she had been. And that meant she needed to go somewhere far away to train, so no other wizards would sense the magic energy she burned and come investigate, and so she could focus on just her training.

Lucy wanted to avoid meeting other wizards for as long as possible. Eventually, she planned on joining a guild, but for now her only goal was focusing on strengthening herself. Other wizards would be useful later, when she needed a sparring partner. She didn't need any distractions before then.

Feeling better, she left the bathroom and slid beneath scratchy blankets. Sleep took her before her eyes were fully shut.


	4. Chapter 4

"Jude Heartfilia received our acceptance of the request," the wizard told his companion.

"Shouldn't be a challenge," another wizard said, grinning. "Fetch a blondie, get paid, huh?"

"Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye?" a third wizard said, peering at the dossier provided by their new employer.

The first wizard looked over at the packet. "Her father claims the only magic she knows is weak, as most magic is compared to the great-"

A fourth wizard stood, halting conversation. "Let's go," he said gruffly. "I want to get this over with."

The other wizards readied themselves in an instant, used to going on last-minute missions. They were in high demand due to how they completed jobs quickly and efficiently. The third wizard, a woman with rectangular glasses, halted all movement with a quiet gasp.

"What?" questioned the fourth wizard, annoyed.

"It's a _competition_ ," she seethed, insulted. "He also hired a wizard from Phantom Lord! Whoever returns her first gets paid."

Surprising the others, the fourth wizard laughed, deeply amused. "Finally, something interesting," he said.

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Lucy heaved a breath. "Okay, one more time," she said, touching two of her keys. She felt their agreement. Summoning Libra and Taurus, Lucy felt her stomach cramp at the magic drain. She was calling out these spirits for the fifth time today, focusing on holding them for longer and longer.

Over a month, she had made much progress in growing her magic container. Before her sojourn to the forest around Clovertown, she had only been able to hold a zodiac spirit for half an hour. Now, her record for a single zodiac spirit was four hours; after much practice, she could now call out two spirits at the same time for at least an hour.

"Ready?" she asked the two spirits. Libra nodded and Taurus enthusiastically agreed. "Okay," Lucy whispered to herself, running a finger along Aquarius, her most powerful spirit. "I can do this!"

She called out Aquarius. Immediately, she felt a dramatic dip in her magic, the muscles of her abdomen clenching in protest. A bright flash marked the appearance of the mermaid spirit, arms crossed in annoyance.

Lucy trembled, struggling to keep the three gates open all at once. Cold sweat slicked down her back, soaking her combat leathers until she felt cocooned in a damp prison. Panting, she tugged down her vest's zipper, allowing blessedly cool air to cool her down. Distantly, she heard Taurus exclaiming over her body; it was testament to her intense focus on maintaining her magic that she didn't even bother to shut the perverted spirit up. Usually his comments were met with rolled eyes and a withering response, but she refused to shift her concentration.

After fifteen minutes, Libra looked worriedly at her master in concern as the wizard shook with exhaustion. When Lucy began to pale rapidly, Libra stepped forward and braced the girl before the fell forward. "Close the gates before you faint," the spirit advised calmly.

"I won't get stronger if I don't push myself harder," Lucy whispered, still fighting to keep all three gates open.

"This is enough for today," the spirit said gently. "Three gates is much improved over one."

Lucy's trembles increased, causing her teeth to chatter. Finally, she nodded, releasing the magic that held the three gates open. The spirits disappeared in a flash and Lucy slumped to the ground, body slack with exhaustion. Although her lips were too tired to even twitch, she was suffused with satisfaction. Her mom had been right; she was going to be the most powerful celestial mage in centuries. No one had ever held open three gates before, and she had accomplished the feat, however briefly, after a month of constant training. _I'm doing exactly what you said, Mom,_ she thought, mind slowing as sleep began to take hold. _I'm going to do it for you. But mostly, I'm doing it for me._

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She slept right there on the forest floor, light spinning down lazily as the sun nearly set. She awoke slowly just as day turned to evening, lavender spilling over her face as the sky blue faded into midnight and stars began to pepper the sky. Her body ached in places she didn't know had muscles; everything felt the strain of holding three gates open. She could have sworn the tip of her pony tail throbbed in time with her heartbeat, each thud filled with pain.

Slowly, she levered herself to her feet and haltingly limped to her campground beneath the shade of the trees. She had spent two weeks walking from Hargeon, traveling by foot so her father couldn't track her on the trains. She had even avoided main roads, depending on small game trails, until she had lost herself deep within the woods around Clovertown. While being lost wasn't her original intent, it meant she could avoid useless distractions and the temptation to head back into town for a real shower and bed. And the temptation was very, very strong. Creek water just didn't do it for her, no matter how clear and soothing. She wasn't even going to think about the pallet she had made on the hard ground; comparing it to a real bed would bring only misery.

Lucy was determined to continue training until she could hold all of her available zodiac spirits out for at least an hour. After that, she would begin collecting the rest of the zodiac keys, and then look into joining an official guild. Loneliness was a sharp ache in her chest. While her spirits were her closest friends, they couldn't sit with her through the night and share her human worries and fears. She wanted to join a guild to feel that closeness. Other wizards would understand her need to keep growing magically. Her determination was deeply rooted in an obsession to fulfill her mother's prediction, because her mother's words were all she had left.

Layla Heartfilia and her daughter had been carbon copies of one another, down to the natural platinum highlights the sun gilded their blonde hair with. When Lucy had looked at her mother, she had seen everything she wanted to be that a small child could understand. Layla was beautiful, strong, kind. She treated her spirits like cherished friends, deserving of all the love and respect she had to give. As a child, Lucy believed her mother was perfect.

Lucy was older now, hardened by years of living with a cold, distant father. She thought of her mother often, remembering warm hands and love so thick it cocooned her in a soft blanket of happiness. But Lucy had shed her childlike wonder. Her father had made sure of that when his hands remained by his side and his love had been withheld.

Lucy had realized her mother had been an ideal, unobtainable perfection. Because Lucy was not Layla Heartfilia, no matter if they looked like sisters or used the same, ancient magic. The daughter no longer desired to be the same as her mother; she found more contentment in being herself. That was why Lucy had run away. She knew Layla would have stayed and done her duties to her family, even if it made her sick and miserable inside. Lucy could not give up herself for her father's profit. She refused to relinquish any part of herself; she would no longer be the pretty ornament to dangle like a treat before noblemen.

The anger she needed to make her final stand and leave the Konzern had been sudden and devastating. Jude Heartfilia had confiscated her keys, the keys her mother had entrusted her with, intending to break Lucy's link with magic and form her into the perfect, proper lady. "Ladies do not play wizard," he had said once she realized her keys were nowhere to be found.

 _I wasn't playing at all, Dad,_ Lucy thought angrily. _But you realize that now that I'm gone, don't you?_

She had snuck into his office after midnight, ransacking his desk until she found her keys. Jude would have never expected her to dare step foot in his private office; she had always been obedient, other than insisting on keeping her spirits close. So Lucy had reclaimed her keys and immediately fled the Konzern, catching a train from the closest village until she was far away from her father's influence.

Remembering the night she had run away, no, _escaped_ , caused the remembered anger to heat her face. Grumbling, she stomped to the nearby creek just out of sight and knelt, refilling her canteen and splashing cold water over her face. The bracing cold, likely from melting mountain snows, cooled her down. She had to control herself better. Being angry was useless; she had escaped, her father could never force her to do anything again. Maybe meditation would help? She vaguely remembered her mother mentioning meditation as a good exercise for young wizards to help hone their focus.

 _I'll try meditating tomorrow,_ she decided. But for the moment, her body ached for a quick bath and a meal. She retrieved her supplies from the campsite and stepped into the shallow pool the gentle current of the creek had created. Whirls of fine sand and small rocks spiraled through the flowing water with each footstep that disturbed the sediment.

Filth sloughed from her body. Her dirt nap had done awful things to her sweaty limbs and hair. If she pretended hard enough, she could almost act like she was simply having an expensive spa treatment, like one of those mud masks or body scrubs. It took a short eternity to comb all of the knots from her long hair, fingers tracing each lock with soap to try and coax dirt from the strands. It would probably be a good idea to cut the length shorter so it couldn't be grabbed during a fight, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved the way her unbound hair swished around her back and upper arms. It reminded her of Layla.

After washing and a quick meal of fish over the campfire (it had taken days to convince Aquarius to help her fish for food), Lucy stretched her sore muscles and climbed into her bed roll. A thick pad of straw and leaves she had harvested from the forest floor provided some cushioning from the hard ground, but not enough that it was easy to ignore. Her first week in the forest had been the most painful, getting used to rationing what food she had and adjusting to sleeping on such a hard surface. But it would all be worth it once she achieved her goal.

After bidding each of her spirits goodnight with a brush of her mind, Lucy settled in to sleep once more, except this time within the comfort of blankets and a campfire. The sounds of the forest at night lulled her into a deep slumber as her body gave in to the exhaustion of the day.


End file.
